Field Notes from Jess ~ Rewilding in 2022 | Week 2/52 | Winter

basket weaving birch bark rewilding Jan 09, 2022

Field Notes from Jess:

Rewilding 2022 Week 2/52

The Gifts of Birch | Basketry

10 women shared a day of rewilding through traditional basket making, storytelling, food sharing and laughing. Our hearts were lifted and our minds brought to a state of focused calm as we sewed the lashings around the willow rims of our birch bark serving baskets.

@wildkindacademy hosted guest instructor Karen Sherwood with The Foragers Basket, who led us through the instruction of our creations and shared "The Gifts of Birch", a slideshow presentation from her recent trip to Alaska. Karen and her crew were notified of a ton of White Birch trees that were cut down by the County due to a power easement project, so they went in and "rescued" the bark off the fallen trees. Thanks to their efforts we were able to make these beautiful baskets!

We learned so much about the utility of this bark from cooking and grain storage to journaling, fire starter, waterproofing and even making canoes!

Thank you @mitzi_powderfiend (IG) for offering your beautiful home and making us a homemade beef stew and beer bread. I am so grateful for your friendship